vernon tarbox adams “grandfather” with parents, charles & annie adams

Vernon Tarbox Adams

“Grandfather”With parents, Charles & Annie Adams

Always “Grandfather”

Vernon Tarbox Adams was born on May 3, 1899 in Calais, Maine. He was the only child of Charles E. Adams and Annie Maude Stuart and he had red hair. To me, he was “Grandfather.”

Growing Up in Calais

Calais was in the midst of decline after the booming 1800s, but always kept a small town, rural feel with lots of open space. Vernon didn’t travel far from home as a young boy. Trips to neighboring Deer Island and Campobello or to towns and villages around Calais were short day trips.

School

Vernon attended Calais Academy, graduating in the Class of 1917.

Vernon and Harvard

Grandmother told me that Grandfather went to Harvard, but didn’t graduate. I decided to look for his school records and wrote to the Harvard registrar’s office. The reply came back that he was never enrolled there as a student and I forgot about this tale for many years. It wasn’t until veterans’ records appeared online that it again came to mind. There’s a kernel of truth in this story. . . .

U.S. Navy Service

Vernon was in boot camp when World War I came to an end. As noted, he was living and working in Boston in 1918. Boot camp was also conveniently located in Boston – at Harvard. So Grandmother’s memory was right on – he “went to” Harvard, but didn’t graduate!

Family

Vernon married a young lady also born and raised in Calais – Hazel Ethel Coleman – on 19 July 1920 at the Coleman family home. They soon had two young daughters, Annie Barbara, known as Barbara, and Doris Priscilla.

Vernon and Doris Barbara and Hazel

Boston Western Union

Grandfather had a successful career working for the Western Union, but promotions meant the family moved often, up and down the east coast, living everywhere from Portland, Maine to Ridgewood, New Jersey. Barbara and Doris were not happy about making and leaving so many friends and constantly changing schools.

New Addition to the Family

While living in Portland, Barbara and Doris welcomed a new little sister, Carole Jeanne, and the family was complete.

Cottage on Little Sebago

In the 1940’s, Vernon and Hazel bought a summer cottage on Little Sebago Lake in Maine. The original bathroom was an outhouse a couple hundred feet from the cottage and there was no hot running water, but Grandfather loved spending time at the “camp.”

Summer Fun

Grandfather enjoyed family get-togethers at the lake, but when he was not relaxing, he was often busy constructing or fixing one thing or another.

Busy as a Bee at Camp

See the structure attached to the cottage? It is between the middle two trees. That is the bathroom, complete with toilet and sink, built by Grandfather to replace the outhouse in the woods.

He also built the boat dock at the lake’s edge. Here Hazel and Linda are posing for one of Aunt Barbara’s pictures in 1957.

More Camp Projects

Simple, but fun! Grandfather put up a home-made swing for me in 1955. I was heartbroken when Grandmother said a winter storm brought down one of the trees, but there was no need to worry. Grandfather just moved the swing to two other trees.

See the open door on the far right side of the guest cabin? It is just to the right of the tree.That was originally a wood log storage shed. Grandfather converted it to a second bedroomand even added a covered garage to theback of it.

Boat Rides

Grandfather loved going for boat rides around the lake. Here he is with Hazel and Linda docking after an afternoon ride.

Three Adams’ Homes

10 Paul Revere Road, Needham Heights, MA1950s-1960s

630 Wyndemere Road, Ridgewood, NJ, 1940’s

10 Old Coach Road, Canton, MA1965-1968

Retirement in May 1964

Retirement Years

Grandfather’s retirement years were all too short. He loved the Boston Red Sox and was so excited when they made it to the finals of the 1967 World Series. He and Grandmother began taking cruises in the 1960’s. I remember when they sailed on the Bremen – caviar was served to guests before sailing and my little brother, Mike, actually ate some!

Fall 1968 I still remember the day when

Grandmother called to say that Grandfather was ill. The doctors said he had had a stroke and he was hospitalized. That was in early October 1968. However, he kept getting worse and the doctors didn’t know why. He passed away on Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, 1968. Grandmother allowed an autopsy to be done and the results surprised everyone. Grandfather died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a variant of today’s mad cow disease. His was only the third diagnosed case in the 20th century.

Calais Cemetery

Grandfather was laid to rest in Calais Cemetery, near generations of his family. Eventually, Hazel was laid to rest next to him in 1995 and Aunt Barbara in 1997.

RIP Grandfather